St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-19
FOOD FOR A NOVELIST.
A Michigan Woman Goes to Col
Orado to Obtain $4,000.
She Is Kidnapped, and Now Appeals
to Her Husband.

spectacle farmer living near VasSar,
TuScola county, Mich, has been tor
tured with doubts and fears as to the
whereabouts of his wife, Mrs. Joanna
Brooks, concerning whom there is a re-
markable story of kidnapping and suf-
fering coupled with strange contradic-
tons, that make the ease one of the
most mysterious of its kind. Two years
ago Mr.. and Mrs. Brooks lived at Vas
sar, and it is now remembered that she
often spoke of a man in Colorado, giving
no name, who, she said, had years be-
tore been her lover. She would have
married him, she frequently said, had
not her parents compelled her to receive
Mr.. Brooks attentions. This fact may
have clouded the domestic relations of
the couple, but it is not known that they
ever Quarreled. Suddenly, about eight
months ago, Mrs. Brooks announced
that she had heard that her former lover
was dead at Denver, Col, and that he
had left her $4,000. TO obtain this
legacy she left home; from that day
until yesterday her husband had not
heard one word directly froul her. Never
theleSS she correSpOnded with her chill
dren. who had grown up and had homes
of their own, some in Ohio and some in
this state, stating in several letters that
she had received part OF the money due,
but had so far been unable to get the re-
malnder n few months ago a married
sister of Mrs. Brooks living in Colorado
went to Denver intending to visit her
sister. 70 her aft0niShment, as she
afterward wrote Mr. Brooks. she was
unable to find Mrs. Brooks there, nor
could she discover where she had gone.
She returned home and wrote Mr.. Brooks
she was unable to fiud Mrs. Brooks
there, nor could she discover where she
had gone. She returned home and wrote
Mr.. Brooks, who had meantime moved
his wife. Mr.. Brooks Immediately started
for Colorado, but was entirely unable,
through detectives or otherwise.
TO GET ANY TRACE OF HER,
and he returned home. While Mr..
Brooks was away, L. North, VaSsar
banker, received a package purporting
TO be from Anna Butterfield, of River
side, another sister of Mrs. Brooks.
Whether this Riverside is III Colorado or
California is not known, as the word
could not be deciphered. The package
was found to contain letters and private
correspondence Of Mrs. Brooks extend
ing over the month of December. 1886,
and January and February 1887. The
letters were unimpOrtant. and were from
her children and other friends, relating
almost entirely to family matters at
home in which she was likely to be in
terested. Mr.. North was at a loss to
know why this package should have
been sent to him. but letter from Anna
Buttertield requested him toplace the
package in safe keeping until he had
further directions from her in regard to
its disposal. All of these letters had
been directed TO Denver, Colo, and had
been opened. Yesterday kIr. Brooks
received letter which he believes is in
his wife'S hand writing. 1t was mailed
at Boston, and there endorsed by the
pOstOffice authorities with the words,
Received under cover for mailing from
California;" In this letter, which, as
whole, is an agoniZing appeal for aid,
Mrs. Brooks states that when she left
home she engaged the services of an at
torney in Indiana, who accompanied her
to Colorado. and who succeeded in OBJ
tanning for her $4,000 of the legacy.
After receiving this amount she was
pursued by the attorney, who wanted
her to sign over her right in the remain
ing 100000. This she positively refused
to do, but in order TO compel her she had
been taken, she wrote, to some place
(she did not know where) imprisoned,
and subjected to all manner of cruel tor
ture, even to have been hung up by her
thumbs. That in consequence of this
treatment she had been very sick and
was now nearly deranged. She had
made fruitless endeaverS to escape, and
this letter she would give to a little girl,
addressed under cover to the postal au-
thorities in Boston. who would forward
it to Mr.. Brooks, and, if received, she
begged he would take immediate steps
to find and release her. Mr.. Brooks will
at once raise money and put the whole
matter into the hands Of a competent de-
tective. He fears that foul play has al
ready been attempted, but seems to have
full faith in his wifes security, despite
her failure to write him for several
months, when she was corresponding
with other members of the family.